Wins in first three games has A's on brink of first series win against AL West leaders since 2017

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Matt Olson (28) of the Oakland Athletics hits an RBI single in the bottom of the third inning against the Houston Astros at Ring Central Coliseum on Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Oakland Athletics pitcher Chris Bassitt works against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 17: Matt Chapman #26 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates after scoring on a single by Mark Canha #20 in the bottom of the third inning against the Houston Astros at Ring Central Coliseum on August 17, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Oakland Athletics’ Robbie Grossman watches his RBI single against the Houston Astros during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Oakland Athletics’ Matt Olson swings for an RBI-single off Houston Astros’ Rogelio Armenteros in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Mark Canha (20) of the Oakland Athletics hits an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Ring Central Coliseum on Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Oakland Athletics pitcher Yusmeiro Petit, right, celebrates the team’s 8-4 win over the Houston Astros with catcher Josh Phegley at the end of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Oakland Athletics’ Robbie Grossman watches his RBI single against the Houston Astros during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 17: Robbie Grossman #8 of the Oakland Athletics hits an RBI single in the bottom of the third inning against the Houston Astros at Ring Central Coliseum on August 17, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 17: Yusmeiro Petit #36 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates with Josh Phegley #19 after a win against the against the Houston Astros at Ring Central Coliseum on August 17, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

OAKLAND — “So far, so good,” was manager Bob Melvin’s low-key reaction to the A’s wins in their first three games against the Houston Astros.

The A’s now trail the two-time American League champs by just 6 1/2 games in the West after Saturday’s 8-4 win in front of 21,428 fans at the Coliseum.

“Everybody’s happy, excited, tired,” said Matt Chapman, who had a single, two doubles, scored twice, drove in a run and reached base five times. “Good to come out with that win (Friday) night and come back quick and get another one.

“We’re definitely confident and excited to get back at it again (Sunday).”

The A’s will send Brett Anderson (10-8) against Zach Grienke (12-4) as they try to execute their first four-game sweep of the Astros since September 2017.

They likely will play without Sunday right fielder Stephen Piscotty, who rolled his left ankle trying to get back to second base on a pickoff try in the seventh inning and left the game. Both Melvin and Piscotty said the injury doesn’t appear serious.

Here are the takeaways:

Showing they belong

The A’s haven’t won a season series vs. Houston since 2014 and, entering this weekend were a combined 22-46 against the Astros since the start of the 2016 campaign.

Starter Chris Bassitt (9-5) believes the A’s have found the right approach to competing against them.

“I think we kind of approached the Astros the wrong way as a whole. Giving them too much credit, to me personally, has been a problem,” Bassitt said. “Are they a great team, yeah? Are they a top two or three team in all of baseball, yeah.

“But when you give them more credit than they deserve, everything snowballs on you. When you go on the attack, it makes life a whole lot easier.”

Chapman says things work better when you’re not trying too hard.

“Sometimes it’s one of those things where we really want to beat them but that doesn’t give you the best opportunity to do well,” he said. “Baseball’s one of those things where if you try harder it doesn’t always work.

“I would just chalk it up to us being confident and playing well right now and just playing our game. Regardless of whether we’re playing the Astros or whoever, just be ourselves.”

No homers but lots of hits

The A’s entered Saturday sixth in the majors with 195 home runs. It’s been their offensive identity this season.

They didn’t add to their total Saturday, winning for just the third time all season when they did not homer, instead inflicting damage with 13 hits —10 of them singles.

Melvin liked what he saw when the A’s scored five runs in the third inning on six singles and a walk, then three more in the fifth on two singles, a walk and a hit batsman.

“You have to win games like that,” he said. “We obviously rely on (home runs) a lot. The deeper you get into the season against better pitching, you have to be able to manufacture some runs.”

Bassitt delivers six innings

After the A’s used four relief pitchers for seven scoreless innings in Friday night’s 3-2, 13-inning win, Melvin needed a solid outing from Bassitt.

The right-hander labored at times, allowing eight hits and three runs, but he made it through six innings to give the bullpen a break.

Bassitt said he couldn’t locate his fastball and was consistently high with his pitches. But he knew what he had to do.

“Our bullpen’s gassed. I could’t look at the guys and say I’m tired. Every one of those guys down there are dead-tired,” Bassitt said. “The offense kind of bailed me out. They allowed me to not worry about (giving up) one run.”